HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM THE ANIMAL HOUSE- WHERE THE FUN NEVER ENDS!

 12:34:03 pm
One might think upon viewing this photograph that Squirrel the Cat might just be the aggressor in the situation.  

To the contrary...

Silver the African Grey Parrot has just bombed in from the other side of the house, flew into the laundry room, landed a couple of inches from Squirrel with his feathers at an aggressive angle, and yodeled like a Basinji dog. 

 Squirrel who had been intermittently napping, minding his own business, and waiting for some birds to appear at the feeder, jerks awake, glares and realizing he's been "had", but also realizing that I'm there, touches his nose to the parrot's beak in a cat greeting...

12:34:12 pm  ...and settles back down to watch for birds. Note Silver's feathers have now begun to lay down again.  He finds that ruffed feathers and an open beak  tend to be  a very effective kitty deterrent.

Silver gives me the "What?  I-have-everything-under-control look."  A couple of House Sparrows make a quick trip to the feeder and then blaze back to the sparrow pile.

Ah yes, a Raptor Culprit is very likely out there again and has been for some days.

Some of the signs...

  

Lately the number of sparrows on a non-raptor day range from 50 to 100. (Remember these are the Mean Sparrows, who have run everyone else off at the feeders on this particular side of the house....well, except the Culprit.) This day there is around 25, all glued to their twigs.  Also note the sparrow on the apex of the pile, looking away.

Unfortunately I missed the shot but previous to leaping from the Sparrow Pile to the birdbath this squirrel had been keeping the sparrows company in the Sparrow Pile.  I've never seen a squirrel in there before.  

After a few moments Squirrel then leapt  off the bowl and bolted for the pine tree which he climbed in a nano-second.  At first I thought it was a sure sign of a Red-tail being the current culprit, but then realized this might be a semi-clueless squirrel who didn't realize that a Sharpie or Cooper's is unlikely to actually nab him.

In the meantime, Silver decided on a bath.  Never having bathed in a glass vessel before he seemed fascinated by getting low in the water and peering through the glass at the same time.  Bath finished I took the hair dryer to him so he wouldn't catch pneumonia, put him on his perch and went upstairs for a few minutes to scan the trees for our raptor friend.   

WRONG.

When I came down he wasn't where I had left him.

My my, where is he now?

 

Oh......

Let's talk parrot expressions.  This is the expression where Silver realizes he's been busted.  But in a matter of seconds....he decides to go on the offensive.

WHAT?  

(Sorry folks blogger is acting up again...I'll be back when it clears up!  DRAT!)